pythagorean theorem word problem

Question

 A tower casts a shadow 40 m long. The distance from the top of the tower to the end of the shadow is 50 m. How high is the tower?

Answer 1

30 m

height = sqr(50^2 - 40^2) = sqr(30^2 = 30 m

It's a right triangle, a 3 - 4 -5 right triangle, a multiple of 10 on each side.

h^2 = b^2 + height^2

height^2 = hypotenuse^2 - base^2